Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-02-17

tne meaning ana tne scope OF tneso last-men
"The mental and physical disability spokeI
OF has distinct meaning in the practice Of thu
Pension Bureau. and includes every impair
ment OF bodily or mental strength and vigor
For such disabilities there now paid Is
different rates OF pensions, ranging from 81 tC
500 per month. This disability must not b,
the result OF the applicants vicious habits OF
gross carelessness. Practically this provision
is not important. The attempt OF the Govern
to escape the payment OF pension OF
such plea would, OF course, in very large
majority OF instances, and regardless OF the
merits OF the case, prove failure. There
would be that strange but nearly universal will
ingness to help the Individual. as between him
and the publ, treasury, which goes very far to
insure state Of proof in favor OF the claimant
The disability OF applicants must be such az
70 1ncapacitate them for the performance o
labor In such degree as to render them unable
TO earn support 1t will be observed that
there Is no Limitation or definition of the inca
pacitating injury or ailment itself 1t need only
be such degree Of disability from any cause
as renders the claimant unable to earn a sup
port by labor. 1t seems to me that the support
here mentioned as one which cannot be earned
IS u complete and entire support, with no dim
mutton on account Of the least impairment OF
physical or mental condition. II Il had been
V s%sSsGf 9Rlx asNs E68 BY
have been very easy to express that idea in
stead OF recognizing, as it has done, degree
Of such inability.
What is supportp Who is to determine
| whether q man earns IL, or has or has il not
10 10 enter Lno nom eB OF clu1Ill-
ants for pensions and after examination OF
their surroundings and circumstances settle
those questions? Shall the Government say to
one man that his manner Of subsistence by his
earnings is a support, Rnd to another that the
| things his earnings furnish is not n support?
| Any attempt, however honest, to administer
| this law in such manner would necessarily pro-
duce moro unfairness and unjust discrimina-
tion, and give moro scope for partisan partiali-
ty, and would result in more perversion Of the
| Governments benevolent intentions than the
execution Of any statute ought to permit
If, in the effort to carry out the proposed law,
| the degree OF disability as related TO earnings
be considered for the purpose of discovering IL.
in any way, it curtais the support which the APP
plicant, If entirely sound, would earn and to
| which he is entitled, we enter the broad field
| long occupied by the Pension Bureau, and We
| recognize the only difference between the
proposed legislation and previous laws passed
Tor the benefit of the surviving soldiers of the
civil war the incurrence in one case OF disabii-
ties in military service, and III the other disa-
| bilities existing but in no way connected with
| or resulting from such service.
| 1t must be borne in mind that in no case is
| there any grading OF this proposed pension.
Under the operation Of the rule first sugge sted,
IL there is q lack in any degree, great or small
| ernment determines the claimant should have,
| and by the application of the rule secondly sug-
| gested, If there is reduction in any degree OF
| the support which he might earn il sound, he is
| entitled to a pension OF Sl2
| In the latter case, and under the provision Of
| the proposed bill permitting persons now receiv-
the act, do not see how those now on the pen
sion roll for disabilities incurred in the service
| and which diminish their earning capacity, can
be denied the pension provided in this bill.
"Of course none will apply who arc now rc-
| ceiving So or more per month. But ON June
30, 1886, there were on the pension rolls 202, GIL
| persons who were receiving fifty eight different
rates pension, from 81 to Sl1.75 per month
| OF these 2S, 142 were receiving 50 per month,
! 63,ll6 81 per month, 37,25i So per month, and
5O,H4 whose disabilities were rated at s. per
| month.
AS to the meaning of the section of the bill
| under consideration there appears to have been
quite difference of opinion among its advocate
| in tho Congress, The Chairman of the Com
mittee on Pensions in the House of Representa-
tives, who reported the bill, declared that there
was in il no provision for pensioning any one
| who has a less disability than total disability
| to labor, and that it was charity measure
The Chai man OF the Committee on Pensions
body, dissented from the construction OF the bill
announced in the House of Representatives, and
| declared that it not only embraced all soldiers
| totally disabled, but in his judgment all who
are disabled to any considerable extent and
such construction was substantially given to
the bill by another distinguished Senator who
| as n former Secretary of the Interior had
| imposed upon him the duty OF executing pen
| sion laws and determining their intent and
meaning.
Another condition required'of claimants un-
der this act is that they shall be dependent
upon their daily labor for support. This Inn
| guage, which may be said to assume that there
| exists within the reach of the persons men,
| toned labor or the ability in some degree to
| work, is more aptly use1 i'll q statute describ-
| ing those not wholly deprived of this ability
| than in one which deals with those utterly un-
| able to work.
Il am of the opinion that it may fairly be con-
tended that under the provisions Of this section
| any soldier whose faculties of mind or body
| have become impaired by accident, disease or
| age irrespective of his service in the army a
cause, and who by his labor only is loft incapa-
| BILE OF gaining the fair support he might with
| unimpaired powers have provided for him self
| and who is not so well endowed with this world s
goods as to live without work, may claim to par
| ticipate in its bounty that il is not required
| that he should be without property, but only
that labor should be necessary to his support in
| some degree, nor is it required that he should
| be now receiving support from others.
| believing tn to be the proper Interpretation
| OF tho hill, / cannot but remember that tho
| soldiers OF our civil war in their pay and
bounty received such compensation for Military
| 80 vice as has never been received by soldiers
before since mankind went TO war; that never
| before, on behalf OF any soldiers, have 50 many
| and such generous laws been passed to re-
lieve against the incidents OF war; that stat
utes have Ieen passed giving them a prefer
| ence in oil public employments; that the
really needy and homeless Union soldiers
/ OF the rebellion have been, to large
extent provided for ut soldiers homes, insti-
| tuted and supported by the Government, where
| they are maintained together, free from the
| sense Of degradation which attaches TO the
usual support of charity ana that never before
| in the history of the country has it been pro-
posed to render Government aid toward the
| support of any OF its soldiers based alone upon
| n militiry service so recent, and where age and
/ circumstances appeared so little to demand
| such aid.
Hitherto such relief has been granted TO sur
viving soldiers few in number, venerable in
age, after long lapse of time since their mill
| tary service, and MS parting benefacton
rendered by n grateful people. cannot be-
/ lieve that the vast peaceful army OF Union
| sold ers who having contentedly resumed their
place in the ordinary avocations OF life cherish
as sacred the memory Of patriotic service, or
who. having been disabled bv tine casualties of
war; justly regard the present pension roll on
which appear their names, as n roll OF honor,
| desire at this time and in the pres mt exigency
| to be confounded with those who, through such
bill as this are willing TO be objects Of simply
charity and to gain place upon tho pension
roll through alleged dependence.
"Recent personal observation and experience
constrain me to refer to another result which
will inevitably follow the passage OF this bill
It is sad, but nevertheless true, that already in
the matter OF procuring pensions there exists a
widespread disregard OF truth and good faith
stimulated 10y those who rs n cents undertake. TO
establish claims for pensions, heedlessly en-
tered upon by the exrectant beneficiary, and
encouraged, or ut least no. condemned, by those
unwilling to obstruct n neghbors plans
In the execution OF this proposed law, under
any Interpretation, wido field Of inquiry would
be opened for the establishment Of facts largely
within the knowledge OF the claimants alone
and there can be no doubt that the race after
the pensions offered by this bill would not only
stimulate weaknt IS and pretended incapacity
for labor, but put further premium on dis
honesty and mendacity.
"The effect OF invitations TO apply for pen
sions, or OF new advantages added TO causes for
pensions already existing Is sometimes
startling. Thus in March, 1919, large arrearages
OF pensions were allowed Co be added to all
claims filed prior to July l. 1891 For the year
from July ], 1879, TO July l. 1890 there filed
llOG73 claims, though in the year Immediately
previous there were but 1882 filed, and in the
year following but Il i55